Document A : Request for Tender

CPSL301 SME Business Growth Consultancy Preferred Supplier List Propel2Grow Continuation21st January 2019 – issue 1

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ContentsIntroduction

Overview

Specification

o Objectiveso Requirements

o Evaluationcriteria

o Proposalrequirements

o RFTandProjectTimelinedetails

o Ques9onsandclarifications

o Propel2Grow o Target SMEs

Guidance for Completers

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Introduction

Propel2Grow (continuation)

SME Business Growth Consultancy PSL Request for Tender CPSL301

Send any questions on the RFT to: procurement@vedas.co.uk

Send proposals to: procurement@vedas.co.uk

This RFT is for supply of Business Growth Consultancy services to assist beneficiary SME companies (“Target SMEs”) enrolled on the Propel2Grow programme to deliver business growth through the implementation of an effective strategy, empowering leadership, people development, product development, marketing, resource efficiency & effectiveness and financial management.

RFT issued: 21st January 2019Responses Due: 5pm Friday 1st March 2019

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Overview

DespitethehighestproportionofpeopleemployedintheSMEsector,theNorthWestremainsthesecondlowestregioninEnglandintermsofeconomicprosperity,5thregionintheUKintermsofGDPandatisalsothefourthregioninthecountryforBusinessBirthsandDeaths.Itnaturallyfollowsthatifincreasedeconomicgrowthisgoingtobedeliveredwithinthisregion,itistheSMEsectorthatisbestpositionedtodeliver.

Propel2Grow is an ERDF funded project offering business support to growth ready SME businesses within the county of Lancashire UK. The project will also offer support to new start-ups and businesses trading less than one year.

The project is delivered on behalf of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) by Vedas Recruitment & Training Ltd.

Propel2Grow

The project aims to achieve an increase in GVA of £10m for the regional economy, promote best practice and improve efficiency and effectiveness, create 520 new jobs and launch 105 new to firm products to the market by the end of 2022.

Additionally, the project will develop strong and inclusive partnerships with local stakeholders to signpost businesses that cannot be supported by the ‘Propel2Grow’ offer. This will include the Lancashire Growth Hub (“Boost”) or other sources of support – whether public or private - to ensure all companies that seek support, receive the appropriate help or guidance.

By dovetailing with Boost and other local and national support programmes, the project will support the capability and capacity of SME businesses within Lancashire to achieve high growth (minimum 20% p.a) by providing in depth market and current state analysis, strategic direction, and then the practical implementation of these growth strategies by developing people capability / operational capacity / new product development through access to world class specialist providers. The beneficiary will be account managed throughout the process to maximise success.

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TargetSMEs

• Start-upbusinesseswiththepotentialtoachieveturnoverof£1millionwithin3yearsofstartingtradingORtohaveatminimumof10employeeswithin3years.

(SectorspecificexclusionsandeligibilityregulationsapplytoERDFfunding).Ourtargetaudiencearekeydecisionmakers(typicallyownermanagers,managingdirectorsorseniorleaders)withintargetbeneficiarybusinesseswithinLancashire.Oursecondaryaudiencearekeypersonnelwhomaynotholdaseniorleadershippositionbutwhomaybeintegraltotheirgrowthobjectives,forexamplealthoughnotexhaustive,salesormarketingpersonnel;personnelresponsiblefornewproductdevelopment;humanresources,orteammanagers.

The target beneficiaries are SMEs based within the county of Lanashire including start-up businesses i.e. newly created businesses, who have the desire and realistic potential to achieve high sustainable growth i.e.

• SMEs with fewer than 10 employees - that over 3 years have the potential to increase employment by 7 members of staff OR increase turnover by £0.75million per annum.

• SMEs with more than 10 employees with the potential to increase either turnover OR staff employed by an average of 20% per annum over the 3 year period.

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SpecificationObjectivesTheprimaryobjectiveistoprovideTargetSMEswithconsultancysupporttoupskillandenablethemtogearforgrowthandspecificallytoachieve:

• anincreaseinfinancialperformance,• thecapacityandcababilitytocreatenewandsustainedjobs• launchnewtofirmproducts• developandlaunchnewtomarketproducts

The consultancy element ismatch fundedwith a contribution from the SME business and acontributionfromtheEuropeanRegionalDevelopmentFund.

RequirementsThenatureofbusinessgrowthconsultancycanbyitsnaturebediverseandwewelcomeapplicationsfromconsultancybusinessesthathaveatrackrecordinanyofthefollowingspecialisms(oranyotherbusinesssupportconsultancythatcanberealisticallyalignedtothecompanyachievingsustainedgrowth):

• Leadershipdevelopment• Businessstrategy• Vision,missionandvaluesplanning• Employeeengagement• Culturalshiftandreadinessforchange• Peopleandtalentdevelopment• Resourceefficiencyandeffectiveness• Marketingstrategy,planningandimplementation• Salesand/orservicestrategyandimplementation• OptimisationofITandDigitaltoolstoenablegrowth/improveefficiencyor

effectiveness• Innovationandideation

The consultancy support requirement is based on agreed scope of support that is compiled with the Target SME after an element of diagnostic activity that is conducted by the business with the support of their Key Account Manager (Propel2Grow personnel).

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• Developmentofnewproducts–productlifecycleplanning,prototyping,markettesting• BusinessProcessRe-engineeringe.g.totoimproveefficiency,reduceerrororwaste• Financialmanagementandcontrol

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EvaluationcriteriaThefollowinginformationexplainshowyourresponsewillbeevaluatedandgivenascore.Theprojectdoesnotbinditselftoacceptingthelowestcost,butseekstoawardonthebasisofthemosteconomicallyadvantageousoffer,withregardstoBOTHcostandquality.

i. Cost40%Costwillcarryaweightingof40%oftheoverallscoreandwillbeevaluatedthroughtheratesubmittedinDocumentC,‘Pricing’.ThePricingSchedulemustcoverallapplicablecosts,(travelcosts,expensesetc.),shallbefixedforthelengthofthecontract,andbeexclusiveofVAT.Pricing is evaluatedon thebasis that the lowestbidwill beawarded the full 40%score. Theremaininghigherbidsarethenawardedapercentageusingthebelowformula:

Pricessubmittedaspartofyourtenderresponseshouldremainvalidfor90days(fromthedateofsubmission).ii. Quality60% QualitywillbeevaluatedthroughananalysisoftheinformationprovidedinyourresponsetoDocument C, and any clarification questions answered in writing or in interviews, (whererequired).Scoresattributedtoresponses,aredecidedbasedontheexpectationsoftheprojectmanagementpanel,measuredagainsttheprojectteam’sobjectiverequirementsassetoutinthisdocument.

Guidance for Completers

WeightingsIn order to achieve the most economically advantageous solution, with regards to cost and quality, tender response evaluations will hold the following weightings:

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Doesnotmeettherequirement

Partiallymeetstherequirement

Meetstherequirement

Exceedstherequirement

Allocate0points Allocate1point Allocate3points Allocate5points• AlloftherequirementsinDocumentC(withtheexceptionofpricing)willbescoredoutofamaximumoffive(5)pointseachandholdaweightingof60%oftheoverallscore.

ClarificationInterviews

TenderRequirementsPleasecompleteeachoftheareasinDocumentBwhichhighlightminimumstandardsintheassessingthesuitabilityofsupplierbusinesses.

YourexperienceandtrackrecordindeliveringconsultancyserviceswhichwillenablebusinessgrowthforSMEbusinesses.Thismayincludeoneoranumberofthefollowingareas(althoughnotexhaustive):

• Leadershipdevelopment• Businessstrategy• Vision,missionandvaluesplanning• Employeeengagement• Culturalshiftandreadinessforchange• Peopleandtalentdevelopment• Resourceefficiencyandeffectiveness• Marketingstrategy,planningandimplementation

• Shouldyouwish to tender tobe includedon thepreferredsupplierlistformore thanoneareaofspecialism, each specialism will be scored separately. Applying for more thanone area ofspecialism does not necessarilymean that youwill be successful for each area.Similarly, being unsuccessful in one area of specialism will not exclude you from beingsuccessfullyappointedinothers.

Interview dates may be arranged as part of the tender process. Interviews will focus on the information provided in your tender response. The purpose of the interviews is to evidence and reiterate information provided in the tender response, providing clarification where required. Should interviews be required they will be held week commencing 4th March 2019 at our offices (Britannic House, St James Row, Burnley BB11 1DR).

Below is the evaluation criteria that will be used to score the Quality element of the tender responses:

Additionally please detail your specialisms in your proposal response in Document C.

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• Salesand/orservicestrategyandimplementation• OptimisationofITandDigitaltoolstoenablegrowth/improveefficiencyor

effectiveness• Innovationandideation• Developmentofnewproducts–productlifecycleplanning,prototyping,markettesting• BusinessProcessRe-engineeringe.g.totoimproveefficiency,reduceerrororwaste• Financialmanagementandcontrol

Withinthetenderresponsewerequestthatyoulimityourareasofspecialismtoamaximumofthreekeyareas.

RFT&ProjectTimelineDetails

ThankyouforyourinterestinrespondingtothisRFT.Welookforwardtoyourresponse.

Questionsandclarifications

RFT issued: 21st January 2019Responses Due: 5pm, Friday 1st March 2019 Clarification interviews (if required):w/c 4th March 2019 Finalists Selected & Contacted: Friday 15th March 2019Delivery: Monday 1st April 2019 – 31st December 2021

If you have any questions, please contact the procurement team by email atprocurement@vedas.co.uk . Please note that any answers to any questions or clarifications may be shared will all suppliers who have a indicated a desire to respond to this RFT. This will be contained in subsequent versions of this document which will appear in the same locations as originally published. Therefore we recommend that you re-visit the latest document (ifapplicable) prior to your submission.

In order to be considered, an electronic copy of your proposal should be returned via email no later than 5pm on Friday 1st March 2019.

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Submi&edquestions

Q.

A.